Refusing Appointment on New Cases

By Kulmeet Galhotra | Published: November 9, 2008

The New York Times has a story about public defender offices in some jurisdictions refusing appointment on new cases due to their enormous caseloads.  The Local has a proposal in local negotiations regarding this exact issue. To read the story from the New York Times, click this.

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  • http://AOL Angie

    Interesting…..we have a duty to represent the indigent, but
    it’s even worse when we can’t do our job properly because of an ever growing caseload.
    I’m not sure what the solution is, but something gotta give. A tired, but committed
    assistant public defender……..Angie K.

  • Michelle Thomas

    An here I thought the link was going to be to a draft of the local’s proposal. Ya got me on that one!LOL!

  • Kulmeet Galhotra

    Michelle,
    The actual proposal can’t be posted online because that would violate the ground rules that have been agreed to for the contract negotiations. If you want to see the actual proposal, see any executive board member.

  • Michelle Thomas

    Nah….I trust you guys. I just got a bit twisted in your wording above. I thought you were turning one way and you went the other.

    I guess I should try to get a refund for that speed reading class I took!

    Michelle

  • Kulmeet Galhotra

    Here is a link to a story from a Missouri newspaper reporting that pd’s there are going to stop taking new cases. http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2008/09/29/mo-public-defenders-begin-refusing-clients/

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